1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beverage containers and more particularly to beverage containers that are not prone to overturning and spilling when the person utilizing the beverage container is traveling in an automobile or other vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many people take beverages with them when traveling. Therefore, there is a need for means for preventing liquid-filled containers from overturning and spilling inside vehicles. This situation is recognized by vehicle manufacturers, many of which include beverage or cup holders built into the interior of some of their vehicles. However, not all vehicles have such built in beverage holders. In addition, many people have drinking containers that are larger than the standard size for such built in beverage holders. In particular, thermally-insulated containers, such as travel mugs, are typically relatively wide due to the presence of insulative material or spacing provided at the walls of the mugs. Such oversized mugs may not fit within the built in beverage holders of many vehicles.
Therefore, there is a need for a means for the prevention of spilling of liquid filled containers for persons whose vehicles do not have built in beverage holders or who choose to utilize beverage containers that are too large for such built in beverage holders. U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,622 to Tardif, U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,858 to Sokolaki et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,581 to Wallace et al. are examples of attempts to accomplish this end. Each of the above-identified patents discloses a beverage container holding assembly that include arms that extend outward from the beverage container. The beverage container holders of the type disclosed in the above-identified patents all describe that the extending arm is engageable with some portion of the vehicle door, the vehicle window or the slot between the vehicle door and window. To accomplish this, the extending arms of the beverage container holders of this type have a portion for engaging the vehicle that lies in a plane well above the plane in which the base of the beverage container lies.
When a beverage container holder is engaged with the door or window of a vehicle, it is difficult to operate such door or window without spilling the contents of the beverage container. Moreover, with this design, the extending arm is forced to support the weight of the beverage container. Furthermore, holders of the type described in the above-identified patents are relatively bulky in relation to the beverage container, in that they cannot be retracted within or otherwise incorporated within a beverage container so as to be "invisible" to the user.